Bishop and Lil
Dec. 18th, 2008 06:24 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsBishop and Lil go to the range and shoot. Then he drives her to the mansion. They chat a bit about each other and Bishop makes a move too but is rebuffed, at least for the time.
The ride out to the shooting range had been, of course, full of heavy flirting with bawdy quips and sexual innuendos, each trying to out do the other with the soft strains of mellow jazz serving as the underscore to their verbal grappling. Lil adored every minute of it up until she'd stepped from his car, all smiles and legs, and stood just in front of the entrance, waiting for him. She'd chosen a pair of denim jeans that rode low on her waist and dark green tank under her leather jacket for the outing, more to make her feel like someone who should be handling a gun than for safety or because of weather conditions. The Amazon much preferred using her fists but it would have been incredibly rude to turn down an invitation when a man was good on their word. Gathering her hair at the back of her head with an elastic band, she effortlessly twisted it into a messy bun before dropping her hands and fixing him with a playful stare. "Teach me, Your Excellency, so that I too may become wise in the ways of the art of popping a cap in someone's ass."
Bishop stepped up beside Lil, wearing his warm brown jacket over a long sleeved shirt. With his carry permit he usually had his pistol on him so there wasn't anything to particularly carry in. "Who knew your were gangster?" He said playfully, offering his arm to her politely because she spoke again as if his name was a title. He got the door for her as they stepped in and he had called ahead to tell the owners that he was bringing someone to train so they could get the modest range to themselves. He had been shooting there since he joined the police department and with the low level of traffic in New York City at the moment it wasn't too difficult of a request.
She'd taken his arm with a laugh and followed close by as he ushered her through the doors. "Please, I was born to pump bitches and hos and gangbangers full of lead. Just need a pair of strong hands to guide me through my first time." Not a word out of her mouth was serious; just poor imitations of movies and tv shows she'd seen all rolled into one completely ridiculous sentence. But still, it was fun. Lil continued to beam as she bumped him with her hip, full of nearly giddy excitement.
Another laugh and Bishop bumped back. "I guess we're lucky I have strong hands then." He put his hand on the small of her back as they stepped through the doorway and onto the range. He shut it behind them so that no one else would walk in while it was hot. He walked with her down to the far lane so that if someone was unaware enough to try to step in they wouldn't startle her when they hit the locked door.
"Be gentle with me?" came the playful purr as she was guided to where the lessons would take place. Modern weapons had never been part of her training. She could handle a katana with no problem, could punch through a cement wall like it was made of paper but guns? Never. "Romantic atmosphere. All it needs are a few candles and we could really have ourselves a good time."
"Don't tempt me." He responded playfully. He pulled his pistol from his shoulder holster, setting it down on the table and clearing the weapon so he could teach her the basic functions before they got started with stances and then actual firing. "I thought you weren't the kind to take things gently, anyway." He looked down into her eyes as he said that, giving a playful wink.
Lil cackled again, tossing her head back before watching him handle the weapon with the skill and rhythm that came with having done it for years. "Well, it is my first time," she repeated, running her fingers over his wrist with feather-light touches. "And you're sooo big and strong." It was a bit over the top, the sappy, damsel with eyelashes fluttering, but Lil doubted he minded very much as it was completely obvious she was putting on an act.
He wasn't sure if she knew or not but Bishop loved the act she had just put on. He grinned widely, "I'll be sure to be careful with you then, my dear." He responded playfully and he gave her backside a firm, playful spank and then a grip with the mentioned big, strong hand. "Now, business first." He looked from her back to the gun finally, beginning to give her the tour.
The smack surprised her. Hazel eyes went wide with shock and another beaming - albeit disbelieving - smile spread across her face. That had been unexpected... and the ex-cop would certainly pay for it later. For now, though, Lil was content to bide her time while he gave her the run down. "I'm all ears, Your Excellency."
Bishop laughed at her reaction. He knew it would be a surprise but with how far she kept pushing their flirting he was willing to be the first to go to contact. He explained all the parts of the pistol and their function for her, even going to far as to break it down into parts and reassemble it. He went at a slow pace so that she could take all the information at a reasonable pace.
Her golden head bobbed when needed, proving both that she was listening to and comprehending all the information her was feeding her. What did what, what was the purpose of which piece and how they all worked together to create the desired effect: the firing of a bullet. Lil's attention had been completely fixed on the gun when Bishop had dissembled it for her benefit before putting it back together, so much so that she hadn't even made any inappropriate remarks about wanting to handle his weapon to reassure him that she was taking the lesson seriously.
Once they had run through all the workings and safety procedures of the pistol, Bishop looked down to Lil again and smiled. "Time to learn how to stand and then you can fire." He smiled, not flirting in the teasingly overt way they had been but he was appreciating her in a more subtle, sincere way. He found himself enjoying doing common, casual tasks with her and he recognized that was important.
Lil nodded once more at him, the flirty smile coming back into play as she spread her hands, palm up while looking at him. "I'm always up for trying new positions."
With a laugh Bishop stepped in behind her, putting his hands over hers and helping her into the Weaver stance. "That's something I'll have to remember." He used his body to guide hers, getting into the stance behind her so she could lean back against him and mimic it.
It was a rare thing, having a man taller than her pressed to her back with his arms around her torso. True, it wasn't a romantic situation, but Lil was willing to take what she could get. Keeping her eyes focused on the weapon, she smiled more to herself then ground her rear against him playfully - how could she not when they were in such close proximity? He'd started it after all with the smack! "Please, do," she replied, molding her frame to his in an attempt to correct her positioning. "How am I doing so far?"
Bishop didn't step back as she pushed into him. She was looking to excite him, and probably to feel the result as well, and he wasn't going to be one to deny her. He focused on the lesson instead, keeping his flirting a bit more subtle. "You're doing fine." He wrapped his hands around hers and guided hers around the pistol, bending her forward a bit so she could pick it up. "Now load it and get the feel for it ready to fire, then I'll step back and let you try a few shots."
"You packing a second gun in your pocket or you just happy to see me," Lil asked, modifying one of Mae West's famous quotes with a chuckle. Only last drawn out rub and she turned her attention back to the weapon but before doing as instructed, she passed the gun to him for a moment as she shucked the leather jacket onto the floor behind them then loaded the Springfield XD .45 as he'd shown her a few minutes prior. "Anything else before I give this a whirl, Your Excellency?"
"I keep my backup at the small of my back." He replied jokingly, enjoying the last rub she gave, a chance for them to feel at each other a bit before he stepped back so she could shoot. He pulled a set of shooting glasses and ear muffs off the wall next to them, putting the glasses on. "You want any eye or ear protection before you start?" Since she had already loaded the gun she'd know to keep it pointed in a safe direction so he'd have to put them on for her.
"Ear's would be good, thanks." She wasn't truly worried about any damage to her eyes or ears, thanks to the extent of her powers, but the gun would probably be loud which in turn would be rather annoying. Lil offered him another smile, this one full of gratitude and a hint of anxious excitement.
She received a reassuring smile and Bishop put ear muffs on Lil before putting them on himself. When he was ready he touched her shoulder lightly to let her know. He stood back a bit further then he normally would have, knowing full well that the gun would misfire and jam if he was too close, courtesy Wanda. He hoped he wouldn't actually need it before everything was sorted out.
Lil nodded back and after feeling his touch, took a deep breath to steady herself. A long look at the target, the blonde woman squeezed off the first shot; a bit shocked at the force of the recoil that caused her to take a small step back more out of surprise than anything else. The tall woman regained her stance, planting her feet more firmly, then emptied the rest of the magazine with little problem.
Once she finished Bishop took off his ear muffs, then hers, motioning for her to clear the gun. "So, how did you like it?" He pressed the button to bring the target up to them. "And lets see how you did." He smiled down to her then looked back up, excited to see how she did her first time.
Doing as she was instructed, Lil put the gun aside on the table and took a step closer to him. She bit her lower lip nervously and even held her breath until the target paper drew close enough. The results weren't bad - she had good eyes and a steady hand from her own training in martial arts - only one in the sixth ring and the majority being split between the eight and ninth. "How's that for a virgin?" Lil asked with a smirk though her question was quite serious.
"Very tight." Bishop responded playfully, letting the double meaning hang. "You're a natural, an expert in no time with practice I'm sure." He smirked back, looking down to her then picking up the pistol, clearing it and loading one of his extra magazines to replace it in his shoulder holster. He had found that with first time shooters they got worn out quickly, then shot worse and lost even more focus. It was a frusteration that they should both avoid since they weren't in any sort of rush.
Another beaming smile filled her face with pride. Her eyes danced and cheeks took on a joyful flush as she clapped her hands much like a delighted toddler. "All because I have such a wonderful teacher, no doubt," Lil complimented, tugging on the lapels of his jacket playfully while biting her lip again. She was quite pleased with herself and wanted to thank him for inviting her out but wasn't quite sure how to express her gratitude considering their normally flirty banter.
With the tug on his jacket Bishop leaned in, looking into her eyes. "I think we can both take some credit." Her beaming smile brought a good, full one from him and he watched as she bit her lip, one of the cute gestures that he was partial to. He didn't press on any further than she tugged him, not out of competition but out of a sort of respect.
"Deal. You're a good teacher and I'm a quick study. We make a good pair, it seems." One hand ran down the center of his chest and she continued to reward him with the dazzling smile. "We're gonna continue, yeah? You teaching me until I'm an expert? I'll buy you lunch after every lesson in return," she offered with a chuckle, stepping in to close a bit more of the gap between them.
She felt Bishop's hand rest lightly at the small of her back. "We make an amazing team and I'd be glad to teach you as much as you want. You don't even have to buy me anything for it." He said, somewhere between playful and sweet, enjoying as she slowly closed the distance, still looking down into her eyes.
"I know I don't have to. I want to," she insisted, her nose wrinkling again before her lower lip stuck out in a playful pout. "You're not gonna deny me that, are you, You're Excellency? Another hour outta your busy schedule can't be that inconvenient. Just a thank you because I know you don't have to take me out here and help me with this." Lil had enjoyed the day so far and was hopeful that it would continue over a meal. With his hand on her back, she slipped both over his chest, feeling his pecs beneath the fabric of his shirt before draping both arms over his shoulders. "What do you say?"
"Well, to be honest, I was advising against it because I think you'll find something in the car for you on the way back and it will ruin your appetite." Bishop grinned as he told her, flexing a bit as she touched him, some out of reflex and some because he knew she'd want the show. "I wouldn't be opposed to a different idea to spend more time together though." He slipped his other hand around for a full embrace with his strong arms.
"Oooh. A present?" Lil cooed as her eyes lit once again with delight. "Now, you've got me all hot and bothered," she joked. Giving him a quick hug, the blonde woman drew back and after picking up her jacket, started walking toward the door with hips swaying. "We'll save lunch for another time but if you've got an idea for another outing, I'm open to it," the Amazon called over her shoulder as she slipped the leather coat back on.
Bishop laughed at her reaction, following her off the range and back toward his car. "Well, if you're hot and bothered maybe we'll have to think of something to cool off." He said playfully. Once they arrived he opened the passenger door for her and, before letting her in, the glove box. Inside was a ribbon wrapped box, wax paper peeking out of the edges. While she settled in he stepped around to the drivers side and let himself in.
"I thought naughty girls didn't get presents." Climbing in, Lil reached for the gift then held it in her lap until he was in the driver's seat beside her. "Can I open it now or do I have to wait for Christmas?"
"I always thought naughty girls just got different types of presents." Bishop fired back playfully. "And you had better open it now, I can't guarantee quality after Christmas." He started up the car, no particular destination in mind yet but he headed back in the general direction of the mansion, knowing they might pass something else of interest.
"I like your interpretation better," Lil laughed as she pulled the ribbon then the lid of the box off. "Ooh. Chocolate," she giggled and selecting one, popped the whole thing into her mouth. The blonde smiled at him as she chewed, savoring the chocolate and caramel melting on her tongue then pulled another sweet from the box and held it out with two fingers to him as an offering of gratitude.
With a smile Bishop leaned over and took her fingers into his mouth, sucking them lightly as he pulled the chocolate from them and ate it. "Glad you like them." He glanced over to her to give her a smile, then back to the road as he drove, keeping his eyes open for anything that looked like something they could have fun doing together.
Her nose wrinkled playfully and her own tongue peeked out between her teeth when he sucked on her fingers, making them tingle. She certainly enjoyed the flirting they shared though was still hesitant to push it any further into the physical realm than it already was. Taking another chocolate from the box, Lil carefully placed the lid back on then slid it into the space next to her for safe keeping. "I do, thank you but you really shouldn't have. You're the one who gave me the lesson; I should be repaying you."
"I'm not keeping track of any sort of debt, Lil. I do things for friends and co-workers because I like to and if we're all better trained then we're all better off." He smiled over to her again, looking at her for a moment before back to the road. "And I like you well enough to want to get you a small treat here or there."
"And I like you well enough to offer some kinda repayment and not just take advantage of that big ole heart underneath that rippling chest," she returned, nibbling on the sweet she was still holding. "But if you want to lavish me with gifts, I guess I can suffer through it," Lil added with a dramatic sigh before finishing off the chocolate then looking out her window once more. "Where to, then, since you don't want lunch? Just back to the mansion or do you have something else in mind?"
"I have plenty of things in mind, none of them count as any sort of proper outing though." Bishop quipped, laughing a bit at her playful sigh. Most people didn't know that he was a bit softer that he let on and he liked it that way. It tended to make his job easier and helped brush off things he wouldn't want to deal with. He realized it probably aided in his unhealthy drinking habits and emotional distance as well. Lil could help with all of that, maybe. A social experiment for himself.
One brow arched in mock suspicion. "So, do I or don't I have to worry about you pulling off the road into the parking lot of some seedy dive of a motel?"
Bishop laughed at the idea. "You might have to worry about me pulling down a hidden drive to nowhere, but not into a motel. If I wanted a bed then there are better options." He smirked to her playfully.
"Beds are over-rated anyway," Lil chuckled as she lifted a hand to pull the ponytail holder from her hair then shake the golden mane loose once more so it spilled over her shoulders. "I don't know what else there is around here. A movie or something? I don't have a lot of Christmas shopping to do but I can tag along if you do." She wasn't in much of a hurry to go back to the mansion and in truth, she'd be content to sit in his car for awhile and just talk if he didn't have anything else in mind.
"A movie would be nice. It's mid-day so we might even get lucky and get a theater to ourselves." Bishop said teasingly. He glanced over a bit more than usual as she took her hair down. He liked the blonde and her hair looked so soft and touchable. He also entertained just finding somewhere to park and talk as a possibility.
"Is there anything good out?" She couldn't recall and while being in a dark theater with no one else around was incredibly it all but screamed 'date' which Lil wasn't sure she was ready to handle just yet. Her eyes shifted from his face back to the window where she watched the world go racing by, then let out a little excited noise when she spied a small playground on the edge of a nearby field. "How about a ride on the swings, instead?" she suggested, tilting her head in the direction of the park.
The car turned quickly, pulling that way as she gave him only a second of warning, Bishop laughed. "I could give you a push, I'm sure." He smiled to her, pulling into a parking spot at the empty playground. He hadn't been to one... ever as far as he could remember. Where he came from you didn't see them, mostly basketball courts at schools and baseball fields.
Her laughter rung out once more as the car made the sharp turn. Once parked, Lil opened the door and stepped out, smirking at him dangerously. "I don't doubt it." Her eyes moved to the swing set a good fifty yards away then shut her door before all but yelling, "Race ya!" then taking off at a full sprint toward the amusement.
Bishop, oddly enough, gave in to her child-like impulsiveness. Even with her head start he was quite the athlete, even without considering his abilities helped, and he wasn't one to let her win. Though when she came running in behind him he caught her up in his strong arms and grinned down to her. "Nice try." He said happily.
Lil never thought she'd beat him; no, the childish antics were more of a test to see if he was willing to play along. When he did, her smile spread and she was more than content to lose if it meant being swept up in his powerful arms. Having a good view of his ass as he'd sprinted ahead of her hadn't been bad, either. "I let you win," she declared, another twinkle in her eye as she dropped her hands to his chest. "Next time I won't be so easy on you."
"I'll appreciate the ego stroking while it lasts then." Bishop gave as a playful retort before releasing her and pulling the swing back for her to sit in. He took the opportunity to look over her butt as when when she sat in the swing.
Smirking, the blonde woman plopped down on the swing seat then tilted her head back to stare up at him. "Thank you, Your Excellency," Lil said, running her hands over his before grabbing a hold of the chains. It was delightfully fun; playing on the swings - a complete 180 from the shooting range but she was enjoying herself immensely.
Bishop began to push Lil on the swing at a slow, relaxing pace. "My pleasure." His hands grabbed low on her back over and over as he guided her swinging. He enjoyed the afternoon with her so far, they had been working well together and she gave him the opportunity to be relaxed and light-hearted, it was all very different then the rest of his life.
Legs pumping with the wind blowing through her hair, Lil climbed higher into the sky with each of his gentle pushes. "Having fun, Your Excellency?" she asked over her shoulder with another dazzling grin all for him. "You should try it, too," came the suggestion as she gestured to the swing beside her.
"I think I might prefer this more." He gave her hips a soft squeeze during the next push, smiling back to her dazzling grin. "It might not be cold out for you but I think I'd freeze on that swing."
The squeeze made her giggle and brought the same light blush to her cheeks as before. "Wimp," she called him then pumped her legs harder. "So, if you're not up for swinging of the child-sort, why don't you tell me more about yourself? Anything blackmail worthy would be best."
"I don't think there's anything I could be blackmailed with. I don't keep any secret juicy details in my life, really." Bishop pondered for a moment. There was one thing that no one would believe but it wasn't exactly secret, just didn't come up in casual conversation. "For being a big sex icon at the mansion most people wouldn't believe I haven't had sex in over a year." He didn't even state it suggestively. It was the best he could come up with at the moment.
Lil's heels dug hard into the ground with his announcement, forcing the swing to come to a stop before she turned in her seat and stared up at him with wide eyes. "A year? Why the hell not??" She didn't believe it, either. Unless this was a prelude to some big dark secret like he was a born again virgin and waiting for marriage. Or he was sick. The blonde continued to frown softly, and looked over his face, trying to judge it it was a joke, a pick up, or some major revelation he was trusting her with.
It was most definitely not a joke and Bishop was surprised by how important she found the revelation. He didn't think it was that major. "Just work mostly. I've been settling in to a new group of people and too busy to try and go out just to pick up someone for a night. In fact, I'm a little too old now for that to even be an appealing option." He wasn't interested in settling down, in any true sense of the word, ever. A long term relationship with someone who could understand the things he did wouldn't be bad, however.
"Oh," Lli responded lamely, unsure what other answer to give. One leg kicked absently as she bit her lower lip, going over better things to say in her head until she finally settled on something. "That makes sense. Needing time to settle, then becoming busy." Made sense because it seemed exactly like what she was going through; the first part, at least. Time to settle was a definite 'must have' on her list, though she couldn't overlook the fact that he'd just declared he wasn't interested in one night stands. "I'm just a little surprised, seeing as you're a 'big sex icon' and all," Lil added with a small, almost sheepish smile.
Bishop laughed as she threw that back out at him. "It's the truth. And also something you wanted to know that has blackmail worthy potential." He smiled playfully. "But now you have to tell me something equal in return, right?"
"You want to know the last time I had sex?" Lil asked, shaking her head as she turned, untwisting the swing, and started to pump again. "Not a chance. That wasn't part of the deal. No terms said I had to reciprocate."
As she started to swing again he resumed pushing. "No blackmail worthy information for me at all? That doesn't seem quite fair." Bishop gave Lil's hips another squeeze as he pushed her again, falling back into a rhythm with her as she went back and forth.
"I don't recall ever claiming to play fair, Your Excellency," she said with another little chuckle. The blonde leaned back, offering him an upside-down smile when she reached the highest point of her climb then straightened so she wouldn't headbutt him on her return.
Bishop laughed, taking the upside down smile as happily as the other, unintentional view. "I must have just assumed then." He gave her another push as she swung back. "Since I'm out of embarrassing things that doesn't leave us with many talking points, though."
"Well, you should know what happens when you assume." More pumps of her leg and the blonde soared higher with each pass. "And we don't need to talk about anything embarrassing, really. That was just to see what I could get out of you," Lil teased, sticking her tongue out at him over her shoulder. "We can talk about anything you want."
"Very tricky of you." He kept pushing, laughing again as she stuck her tongue out. "I guess now you know that if you ask I'll tell you secret things. Now I think maybe I shouldn't have." He still spoke playfully, pushing her in the swing.
Enjoying the way the wind whipped her hair about when she was up high, Lil continued to pump her legs until she felt as if she were soaring with the clouds. "You'll find I'm full of many surprises, Your Excellency. But we can skip on naughty secrets for now. Tell me more about you." She wanted to know more about the man beneath the flirting and the muscles. What he liked, what he did for fun. What his childhood was like.
"You'll have to be more specific than that. I think my life has been fairly plain but that's because I lived it. I know some other people find it pretty interesting." Bishop kept pushing, guiding her up into the air by the hips. He wasn't worried about how high she may want to go, since it's not like she could hurt herself by falling. "If I start spilling everything about myself are you going to as well?" He grinned, avoiding the assumption.
"You're learning already!" Lil cackled as she swung. She wouldn't go much higher; while she could risk injury to herself with no problem, breaking the swing set would be quite upsetting. "I'll tell you about my family if you tell me about yours," the blonde compromised.
"Father I never met, Mother that died when I was too young to remember, Grandmother that raised me, and Sister I haven't seen in years." Bishop gave her another push up into the air. "Nothing very interesting, I'm afraid. Any kid that grew up on my block would have the same story."
His abruptness made her frown and stilling her legs, let the momentum keep her swinging. "I'm sorry," Lil apologized with another glance back at him. "My mother died when I was young, too, but I remember it. Breast cancer when I was eight. No siblings and my grandparents weren't around much so it was just me and Daddy until I met Maddy when I was sixteen."
"Thank you." That was Bishop's only response to her sympathy. He didn't think about how he grew up much anymore and he talked about it next to never. He wanted to push the topic off that all together but he didn't want to be insensitive to her own difficult story. "I'm sorry about your family, too." It came out kind of disjointed and awkward, unlike about anything else he said. He had invested a lot of his time into making himself independent enough to not have this conversation.
She smiled wistfully to herself, one shoulder rising and falling in a halfhearted shrug. "Thanks, but like you said, it's not a story that only belongs to me. It was just... hard when she died because I'd manifested my powers by then. I went to donate my hair for wigs and when they tried to cut it, it just wouldn't." A mutant child on top of a dying wife and all the medical bills that came with both; she often marveled at how her father had managed during that time. "Okay, maybe that last part isn't so common but there's nothing I can do about it now 'cept remember her and stay in touch with my Dad."
A nod when she glanced back was Bishop's only response. Most people didn't know what to say to stories like theirs. He was more aware than that, he knew that there wasn't anything to be said. Words weren't capable of what would need to happen to be an appropriate response; or people weren't. Something in the equation was inadequate and he found it more inadequate to even try.
Lil let the silence hang between for a few long moments until she began to drag her feet on the ground to slow the swing to an eventual stop. Climbing off it, she turned to face him, still smiling softly as she held the chains. "I had a really fun time today," the Amazon said finally. "Thank you."
"I did too and it has been my pleasure." Lil got a genuine, sweet smile from Bishop as he thought back over the day, letting the sad topic fall away. Finally he stepped in, embracing her softly and giving her a real kiss, soft against her lips.
It shouldn't have surprised her the way it did: his mouth on hers, but it did. Enough to make her freeze for a second before her eyes fluttered shut and she pressed back into the kiss but only for a few fleeting moments. The sad smile was back and Lil chewed on her bottom lip once more while fingering the fabric of his jacket and avoiding his eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, barely above a whisper. "I'm not ready, yet."
"That's nothing to be sorry about." Bishop ran his hands over her back comfortingly as they stood close. "I can keep trying every now and then or you can if and when you're ready. Your choice." He smiled, trying to be helpful. He didn't want to stop making advances if she was never going to and so miss an opportunity for no reason. He also didn't want to keep making them if they would make her uncomfortable and drive her away.
A tentative nod became a stronger, more confident one and when she finally lifted her face to his once more, her smile was more comfortable and shades closer to the ones she'd worn before. "We'll see how things go. And, thank you, again." Lil took a deep breath then pressed her own kiss to his cheek, sweet and nearly chaste but enough to seal a promise that she'd let him know when she was ready for more should that time come for them.
Bishop patted her back softly. "It's no problem, really." He was secretly a pretty sweet guy. He didn't like the possibility that he was drawn to another woman that might not return his affection when he didn't give out much to begin with but he didn't hold any anger over it. It was part of his own choice with his life and he was happy with his life. Looking for perfection was missing the point.
She sighed softly and placed her head on his shoulder, thankful for his acceptance. "I like you. Really," Lil stressed, "but I'm still getting over Maddy and being here; I need my time to settle. Hopefully, it won't take a year," the blonde teased as she wrapped her own arms around his torso in a warm hug. "I'm certainly not asking you to stop completely; the gift was very touching and here, with the swings, I had fun. It's just... a lot to handle right now." Her nose brushed along the line of his neck affectionately while one hand dropped and tucked into the back pocket of his pants comfortably. "I definitely don't want you to give up, though."
"I'm not one to give up." Bishop said sweetly, standing with her and keeping her wrapped up in his strong arms as she enjoyed nuzzling in against him. He didn't interrupt as she touched or brushed against him. "I understand how settling in is. Let me know if I can do anything more to help so it doesn't have to be any harder then it already is." He kissed her forehead lightly just once.
"I will," Lil promised before falling silent and basking in the strength he radiated. It felt wonderful to be wrapped in the arms of a man again, to feel cherished and important and part of her wanted nothing more than to drag him back to his car for a couple of crazy rounds of sex but she knew it wouldn't be fair to either of them. Instead, she was content to listen to the comforting thrum of his heart beneath her ear for a few minutes longer.
Bishop didn't move her at all. He knew she needed the comfort and, if nothing else, a friend in a new place. He kept hold of her, his hands even staying on her back despite hers in his back pocket. "Good." He smiled, resting his cheek to her forehead as she stayed nuzzled in close.
She breathed in the scent of him, all musk and male and let it soothe her. Yes, Lil knew she was a tease - and sometimes a pretty horrible one at that - but it was so nice to stand wrapped up in a man like this and not have to worry about 'what ifs' and 'whens' for a few long minutes. She didn't need to; there was no rush for either of them and what would come would do so on its own time.
With a little sigh, Lil finally lifted her head once more and offered him a smile before pulling away completely save for her hand taking his. She gave it a little pulse then wrapped her fingers with his. "We should probably get back to the mansion now, huh?"
He slipped his fingers in between hers, nodding and heading to the car with her. "We probably should." He paused for a moment and looked down to Lil. "Can I take you out again soon? We can do something with any level of seriousness you're comfortable with." He felt she might not want to go on a date yet but was sure they could find any number of reasons to spend time together.
Lil smiled back up at him and nodded. "Yeah, you can. I'd like that." What they did, where they would go, she didn't want to think about yet but just agreeing to it made her feel a little nervous, though in a good way. Giving his fingers another squeeze, she began to walk towards the car, letting their hands swing casually in the space between them.
Bishop got the door for her, shutting it and walking around to climb into the driver seat. It was only a moment before they were off and back to the mansion. He got the feeling Lil was a little worn out from their day and he didn't want to do anything that would make settling in any harder on her. If he didn't hear from her in a few days then he'd make the next contact.
The ride back was quiet; not uncomfortably so but enough to create a stark difference from their trip to the range despite the same mellow Jazz that floated from his stereo. Something had changed between them, had become more reality than playful fantasy and it made Lil feel like a teenager with a crush again. "You gonna come in or just kick me to the curb when we get there?" She had no idea if he had anything else planned for his day.
"I can come in if you'd like." Bishop laughed at her phrasing, looking to her with another smile. Teasing about having sex always became very different when the reality of actually having it was put into the mind. He would return to teasing her shortly but, for the time, he wanted to make sure she knew he wasn't going to push too hard and that he was there to help her adjust; most of all he wanted her to know he was to be taken seriously.
"It's completely up to you. I didn't know if you needed to get back to the city for anything or if you had any business to take care of here." Lil had no plans of her own; nothing beyond a long shower, anyway. "It's really okay if you have to leave right away."
"I don't." He pulled into a parking spot, turning the car off. "If you'd like company I'd be glad to join you for a while today while you do what you have planned." Had he known her plan was a long shower he might have made a more specific offer to lighten the mood back up with their usual banter and flirting.
Her nose wrinkled in its way as she laughed softly then shook her head. "No, no, I don't think you joining me would be a good idea as it would definitely not help me get settled. Plus, I don't think I could explain to anyone why there was a Lil-sized dent in my shower wall with a straight face if you did."
"Well if I would have known you were going in for a shower I wouldn't have even asked; I'd have just joined." Bishop spoke playfully but stayed in the car. He wasn't going in if it wasn't to spend time with her, he didn't have any other business at the mansion until the evening.
"Too bad the surprise was ruined," the blonde lamented and after gathering her chocolate, reached over to give his hand another squeeze. "Thanks again. I really did have a great time and I'm looking forward to whenever you steal me for another afternoon." Lil leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek before speaking soft and low into his ear. "Until then, I've got a date with my detachable shower head." Pulling back, she gave him a wink, then opened the door and headed up to the mansion.
The ride out to the shooting range had been, of course, full of heavy flirting with bawdy quips and sexual innuendos, each trying to out do the other with the soft strains of mellow jazz serving as the underscore to their verbal grappling. Lil adored every minute of it up until she'd stepped from his car, all smiles and legs, and stood just in front of the entrance, waiting for him. She'd chosen a pair of denim jeans that rode low on her waist and dark green tank under her leather jacket for the outing, more to make her feel like someone who should be handling a gun than for safety or because of weather conditions. The Amazon much preferred using her fists but it would have been incredibly rude to turn down an invitation when a man was good on their word. Gathering her hair at the back of her head with an elastic band, she effortlessly twisted it into a messy bun before dropping her hands and fixing him with a playful stare. "Teach me, Your Excellency, so that I too may become wise in the ways of the art of popping a cap in someone's ass."
Bishop stepped up beside Lil, wearing his warm brown jacket over a long sleeved shirt. With his carry permit he usually had his pistol on him so there wasn't anything to particularly carry in. "Who knew your were gangster?" He said playfully, offering his arm to her politely because she spoke again as if his name was a title. He got the door for her as they stepped in and he had called ahead to tell the owners that he was bringing someone to train so they could get the modest range to themselves. He had been shooting there since he joined the police department and with the low level of traffic in New York City at the moment it wasn't too difficult of a request.
She'd taken his arm with a laugh and followed close by as he ushered her through the doors. "Please, I was born to pump bitches and hos and gangbangers full of lead. Just need a pair of strong hands to guide me through my first time." Not a word out of her mouth was serious; just poor imitations of movies and tv shows she'd seen all rolled into one completely ridiculous sentence. But still, it was fun. Lil continued to beam as she bumped him with her hip, full of nearly giddy excitement.
Another laugh and Bishop bumped back. "I guess we're lucky I have strong hands then." He put his hand on the small of her back as they stepped through the doorway and onto the range. He shut it behind them so that no one else would walk in while it was hot. He walked with her down to the far lane so that if someone was unaware enough to try to step in they wouldn't startle her when they hit the locked door.
"Be gentle with me?" came the playful purr as she was guided to where the lessons would take place. Modern weapons had never been part of her training. She could handle a katana with no problem, could punch through a cement wall like it was made of paper but guns? Never. "Romantic atmosphere. All it needs are a few candles and we could really have ourselves a good time."
"Don't tempt me." He responded playfully. He pulled his pistol from his shoulder holster, setting it down on the table and clearing the weapon so he could teach her the basic functions before they got started with stances and then actual firing. "I thought you weren't the kind to take things gently, anyway." He looked down into her eyes as he said that, giving a playful wink.
Lil cackled again, tossing her head back before watching him handle the weapon with the skill and rhythm that came with having done it for years. "Well, it is my first time," she repeated, running her fingers over his wrist with feather-light touches. "And you're sooo big and strong." It was a bit over the top, the sappy, damsel with eyelashes fluttering, but Lil doubted he minded very much as it was completely obvious she was putting on an act.
He wasn't sure if she knew or not but Bishop loved the act she had just put on. He grinned widely, "I'll be sure to be careful with you then, my dear." He responded playfully and he gave her backside a firm, playful spank and then a grip with the mentioned big, strong hand. "Now, business first." He looked from her back to the gun finally, beginning to give her the tour.
The smack surprised her. Hazel eyes went wide with shock and another beaming - albeit disbelieving - smile spread across her face. That had been unexpected... and the ex-cop would certainly pay for it later. For now, though, Lil was content to bide her time while he gave her the run down. "I'm all ears, Your Excellency."
Bishop laughed at her reaction. He knew it would be a surprise but with how far she kept pushing their flirting he was willing to be the first to go to contact. He explained all the parts of the pistol and their function for her, even going to far as to break it down into parts and reassemble it. He went at a slow pace so that she could take all the information at a reasonable pace.
Her golden head bobbed when needed, proving both that she was listening to and comprehending all the information her was feeding her. What did what, what was the purpose of which piece and how they all worked together to create the desired effect: the firing of a bullet. Lil's attention had been completely fixed on the gun when Bishop had dissembled it for her benefit before putting it back together, so much so that she hadn't even made any inappropriate remarks about wanting to handle his weapon to reassure him that she was taking the lesson seriously.
Once they had run through all the workings and safety procedures of the pistol, Bishop looked down to Lil again and smiled. "Time to learn how to stand and then you can fire." He smiled, not flirting in the teasingly overt way they had been but he was appreciating her in a more subtle, sincere way. He found himself enjoying doing common, casual tasks with her and he recognized that was important.
Lil nodded once more at him, the flirty smile coming back into play as she spread her hands, palm up while looking at him. "I'm always up for trying new positions."
With a laugh Bishop stepped in behind her, putting his hands over hers and helping her into the Weaver stance. "That's something I'll have to remember." He used his body to guide hers, getting into the stance behind her so she could lean back against him and mimic it.
It was a rare thing, having a man taller than her pressed to her back with his arms around her torso. True, it wasn't a romantic situation, but Lil was willing to take what she could get. Keeping her eyes focused on the weapon, she smiled more to herself then ground her rear against him playfully - how could she not when they were in such close proximity? He'd started it after all with the smack! "Please, do," she replied, molding her frame to his in an attempt to correct her positioning. "How am I doing so far?"
Bishop didn't step back as she pushed into him. She was looking to excite him, and probably to feel the result as well, and he wasn't going to be one to deny her. He focused on the lesson instead, keeping his flirting a bit more subtle. "You're doing fine." He wrapped his hands around hers and guided hers around the pistol, bending her forward a bit so she could pick it up. "Now load it and get the feel for it ready to fire, then I'll step back and let you try a few shots."
"You packing a second gun in your pocket or you just happy to see me," Lil asked, modifying one of Mae West's famous quotes with a chuckle. Only last drawn out rub and she turned her attention back to the weapon but before doing as instructed, she passed the gun to him for a moment as she shucked the leather jacket onto the floor behind them then loaded the Springfield XD .45 as he'd shown her a few minutes prior. "Anything else before I give this a whirl, Your Excellency?"
"I keep my backup at the small of my back." He replied jokingly, enjoying the last rub she gave, a chance for them to feel at each other a bit before he stepped back so she could shoot. He pulled a set of shooting glasses and ear muffs off the wall next to them, putting the glasses on. "You want any eye or ear protection before you start?" Since she had already loaded the gun she'd know to keep it pointed in a safe direction so he'd have to put them on for her.
"Ear's would be good, thanks." She wasn't truly worried about any damage to her eyes or ears, thanks to the extent of her powers, but the gun would probably be loud which in turn would be rather annoying. Lil offered him another smile, this one full of gratitude and a hint of anxious excitement.
She received a reassuring smile and Bishop put ear muffs on Lil before putting them on himself. When he was ready he touched her shoulder lightly to let her know. He stood back a bit further then he normally would have, knowing full well that the gun would misfire and jam if he was too close, courtesy Wanda. He hoped he wouldn't actually need it before everything was sorted out.
Lil nodded back and after feeling his touch, took a deep breath to steady herself. A long look at the target, the blonde woman squeezed off the first shot; a bit shocked at the force of the recoil that caused her to take a small step back more out of surprise than anything else. The tall woman regained her stance, planting her feet more firmly, then emptied the rest of the magazine with little problem.
Once she finished Bishop took off his ear muffs, then hers, motioning for her to clear the gun. "So, how did you like it?" He pressed the button to bring the target up to them. "And lets see how you did." He smiled down to her then looked back up, excited to see how she did her first time.
Doing as she was instructed, Lil put the gun aside on the table and took a step closer to him. She bit her lower lip nervously and even held her breath until the target paper drew close enough. The results weren't bad - she had good eyes and a steady hand from her own training in martial arts - only one in the sixth ring and the majority being split between the eight and ninth. "How's that for a virgin?" Lil asked with a smirk though her question was quite serious.
"Very tight." Bishop responded playfully, letting the double meaning hang. "You're a natural, an expert in no time with practice I'm sure." He smirked back, looking down to her then picking up the pistol, clearing it and loading one of his extra magazines to replace it in his shoulder holster. He had found that with first time shooters they got worn out quickly, then shot worse and lost even more focus. It was a frusteration that they should both avoid since they weren't in any sort of rush.
Another beaming smile filled her face with pride. Her eyes danced and cheeks took on a joyful flush as she clapped her hands much like a delighted toddler. "All because I have such a wonderful teacher, no doubt," Lil complimented, tugging on the lapels of his jacket playfully while biting her lip again. She was quite pleased with herself and wanted to thank him for inviting her out but wasn't quite sure how to express her gratitude considering their normally flirty banter.
With the tug on his jacket Bishop leaned in, looking into her eyes. "I think we can both take some credit." Her beaming smile brought a good, full one from him and he watched as she bit her lip, one of the cute gestures that he was partial to. He didn't press on any further than she tugged him, not out of competition but out of a sort of respect.
"Deal. You're a good teacher and I'm a quick study. We make a good pair, it seems." One hand ran down the center of his chest and she continued to reward him with the dazzling smile. "We're gonna continue, yeah? You teaching me until I'm an expert? I'll buy you lunch after every lesson in return," she offered with a chuckle, stepping in to close a bit more of the gap between them.
She felt Bishop's hand rest lightly at the small of her back. "We make an amazing team and I'd be glad to teach you as much as you want. You don't even have to buy me anything for it." He said, somewhere between playful and sweet, enjoying as she slowly closed the distance, still looking down into her eyes.
"I know I don't have to. I want to," she insisted, her nose wrinkling again before her lower lip stuck out in a playful pout. "You're not gonna deny me that, are you, You're Excellency? Another hour outta your busy schedule can't be that inconvenient. Just a thank you because I know you don't have to take me out here and help me with this." Lil had enjoyed the day so far and was hopeful that it would continue over a meal. With his hand on her back, she slipped both over his chest, feeling his pecs beneath the fabric of his shirt before draping both arms over his shoulders. "What do you say?"
"Well, to be honest, I was advising against it because I think you'll find something in the car for you on the way back and it will ruin your appetite." Bishop grinned as he told her, flexing a bit as she touched him, some out of reflex and some because he knew she'd want the show. "I wouldn't be opposed to a different idea to spend more time together though." He slipped his other hand around for a full embrace with his strong arms.
"Oooh. A present?" Lil cooed as her eyes lit once again with delight. "Now, you've got me all hot and bothered," she joked. Giving him a quick hug, the blonde woman drew back and after picking up her jacket, started walking toward the door with hips swaying. "We'll save lunch for another time but if you've got an idea for another outing, I'm open to it," the Amazon called over her shoulder as she slipped the leather coat back on.
Bishop laughed at her reaction, following her off the range and back toward his car. "Well, if you're hot and bothered maybe we'll have to think of something to cool off." He said playfully. Once they arrived he opened the passenger door for her and, before letting her in, the glove box. Inside was a ribbon wrapped box, wax paper peeking out of the edges. While she settled in he stepped around to the drivers side and let himself in.
"I thought naughty girls didn't get presents." Climbing in, Lil reached for the gift then held it in her lap until he was in the driver's seat beside her. "Can I open it now or do I have to wait for Christmas?"
"I always thought naughty girls just got different types of presents." Bishop fired back playfully. "And you had better open it now, I can't guarantee quality after Christmas." He started up the car, no particular destination in mind yet but he headed back in the general direction of the mansion, knowing they might pass something else of interest.
"I like your interpretation better," Lil laughed as she pulled the ribbon then the lid of the box off. "Ooh. Chocolate," she giggled and selecting one, popped the whole thing into her mouth. The blonde smiled at him as she chewed, savoring the chocolate and caramel melting on her tongue then pulled another sweet from the box and held it out with two fingers to him as an offering of gratitude.
With a smile Bishop leaned over and took her fingers into his mouth, sucking them lightly as he pulled the chocolate from them and ate it. "Glad you like them." He glanced over to her to give her a smile, then back to the road as he drove, keeping his eyes open for anything that looked like something they could have fun doing together.
Her nose wrinkled playfully and her own tongue peeked out between her teeth when he sucked on her fingers, making them tingle. She certainly enjoyed the flirting they shared though was still hesitant to push it any further into the physical realm than it already was. Taking another chocolate from the box, Lil carefully placed the lid back on then slid it into the space next to her for safe keeping. "I do, thank you but you really shouldn't have. You're the one who gave me the lesson; I should be repaying you."
"I'm not keeping track of any sort of debt, Lil. I do things for friends and co-workers because I like to and if we're all better trained then we're all better off." He smiled over to her again, looking at her for a moment before back to the road. "And I like you well enough to want to get you a small treat here or there."
"And I like you well enough to offer some kinda repayment and not just take advantage of that big ole heart underneath that rippling chest," she returned, nibbling on the sweet she was still holding. "But if you want to lavish me with gifts, I guess I can suffer through it," Lil added with a dramatic sigh before finishing off the chocolate then looking out her window once more. "Where to, then, since you don't want lunch? Just back to the mansion or do you have something else in mind?"
"I have plenty of things in mind, none of them count as any sort of proper outing though." Bishop quipped, laughing a bit at her playful sigh. Most people didn't know that he was a bit softer that he let on and he liked it that way. It tended to make his job easier and helped brush off things he wouldn't want to deal with. He realized it probably aided in his unhealthy drinking habits and emotional distance as well. Lil could help with all of that, maybe. A social experiment for himself.
One brow arched in mock suspicion. "So, do I or don't I have to worry about you pulling off the road into the parking lot of some seedy dive of a motel?"
Bishop laughed at the idea. "You might have to worry about me pulling down a hidden drive to nowhere, but not into a motel. If I wanted a bed then there are better options." He smirked to her playfully.
"Beds are over-rated anyway," Lil chuckled as she lifted a hand to pull the ponytail holder from her hair then shake the golden mane loose once more so it spilled over her shoulders. "I don't know what else there is around here. A movie or something? I don't have a lot of Christmas shopping to do but I can tag along if you do." She wasn't in much of a hurry to go back to the mansion and in truth, she'd be content to sit in his car for awhile and just talk if he didn't have anything else in mind.
"A movie would be nice. It's mid-day so we might even get lucky and get a theater to ourselves." Bishop said teasingly. He glanced over a bit more than usual as she took her hair down. He liked the blonde and her hair looked so soft and touchable. He also entertained just finding somewhere to park and talk as a possibility.
"Is there anything good out?" She couldn't recall and while being in a dark theater with no one else around was incredibly it all but screamed 'date' which Lil wasn't sure she was ready to handle just yet. Her eyes shifted from his face back to the window where she watched the world go racing by, then let out a little excited noise when she spied a small playground on the edge of a nearby field. "How about a ride on the swings, instead?" she suggested, tilting her head in the direction of the park.
The car turned quickly, pulling that way as she gave him only a second of warning, Bishop laughed. "I could give you a push, I'm sure." He smiled to her, pulling into a parking spot at the empty playground. He hadn't been to one... ever as far as he could remember. Where he came from you didn't see them, mostly basketball courts at schools and baseball fields.
Her laughter rung out once more as the car made the sharp turn. Once parked, Lil opened the door and stepped out, smirking at him dangerously. "I don't doubt it." Her eyes moved to the swing set a good fifty yards away then shut her door before all but yelling, "Race ya!" then taking off at a full sprint toward the amusement.
Bishop, oddly enough, gave in to her child-like impulsiveness. Even with her head start he was quite the athlete, even without considering his abilities helped, and he wasn't one to let her win. Though when she came running in behind him he caught her up in his strong arms and grinned down to her. "Nice try." He said happily.
Lil never thought she'd beat him; no, the childish antics were more of a test to see if he was willing to play along. When he did, her smile spread and she was more than content to lose if it meant being swept up in his powerful arms. Having a good view of his ass as he'd sprinted ahead of her hadn't been bad, either. "I let you win," she declared, another twinkle in her eye as she dropped her hands to his chest. "Next time I won't be so easy on you."
"I'll appreciate the ego stroking while it lasts then." Bishop gave as a playful retort before releasing her and pulling the swing back for her to sit in. He took the opportunity to look over her butt as when when she sat in the swing.
Smirking, the blonde woman plopped down on the swing seat then tilted her head back to stare up at him. "Thank you, Your Excellency," Lil said, running her hands over his before grabbing a hold of the chains. It was delightfully fun; playing on the swings - a complete 180 from the shooting range but she was enjoying herself immensely.
Bishop began to push Lil on the swing at a slow, relaxing pace. "My pleasure." His hands grabbed low on her back over and over as he guided her swinging. He enjoyed the afternoon with her so far, they had been working well together and she gave him the opportunity to be relaxed and light-hearted, it was all very different then the rest of his life.
Legs pumping with the wind blowing through her hair, Lil climbed higher into the sky with each of his gentle pushes. "Having fun, Your Excellency?" she asked over her shoulder with another dazzling grin all for him. "You should try it, too," came the suggestion as she gestured to the swing beside her.
"I think I might prefer this more." He gave her hips a soft squeeze during the next push, smiling back to her dazzling grin. "It might not be cold out for you but I think I'd freeze on that swing."
The squeeze made her giggle and brought the same light blush to her cheeks as before. "Wimp," she called him then pumped her legs harder. "So, if you're not up for swinging of the child-sort, why don't you tell me more about yourself? Anything blackmail worthy would be best."
"I don't think there's anything I could be blackmailed with. I don't keep any secret juicy details in my life, really." Bishop pondered for a moment. There was one thing that no one would believe but it wasn't exactly secret, just didn't come up in casual conversation. "For being a big sex icon at the mansion most people wouldn't believe I haven't had sex in over a year." He didn't even state it suggestively. It was the best he could come up with at the moment.
Lil's heels dug hard into the ground with his announcement, forcing the swing to come to a stop before she turned in her seat and stared up at him with wide eyes. "A year? Why the hell not??" She didn't believe it, either. Unless this was a prelude to some big dark secret like he was a born again virgin and waiting for marriage. Or he was sick. The blonde continued to frown softly, and looked over his face, trying to judge it it was a joke, a pick up, or some major revelation he was trusting her with.
It was most definitely not a joke and Bishop was surprised by how important she found the revelation. He didn't think it was that major. "Just work mostly. I've been settling in to a new group of people and too busy to try and go out just to pick up someone for a night. In fact, I'm a little too old now for that to even be an appealing option." He wasn't interested in settling down, in any true sense of the word, ever. A long term relationship with someone who could understand the things he did wouldn't be bad, however.
"Oh," Lli responded lamely, unsure what other answer to give. One leg kicked absently as she bit her lower lip, going over better things to say in her head until she finally settled on something. "That makes sense. Needing time to settle, then becoming busy." Made sense because it seemed exactly like what she was going through; the first part, at least. Time to settle was a definite 'must have' on her list, though she couldn't overlook the fact that he'd just declared he wasn't interested in one night stands. "I'm just a little surprised, seeing as you're a 'big sex icon' and all," Lil added with a small, almost sheepish smile.
Bishop laughed as she threw that back out at him. "It's the truth. And also something you wanted to know that has blackmail worthy potential." He smiled playfully. "But now you have to tell me something equal in return, right?"
"You want to know the last time I had sex?" Lil asked, shaking her head as she turned, untwisting the swing, and started to pump again. "Not a chance. That wasn't part of the deal. No terms said I had to reciprocate."
As she started to swing again he resumed pushing. "No blackmail worthy information for me at all? That doesn't seem quite fair." Bishop gave Lil's hips another squeeze as he pushed her again, falling back into a rhythm with her as she went back and forth.
"I don't recall ever claiming to play fair, Your Excellency," she said with another little chuckle. The blonde leaned back, offering him an upside-down smile when she reached the highest point of her climb then straightened so she wouldn't headbutt him on her return.
Bishop laughed, taking the upside down smile as happily as the other, unintentional view. "I must have just assumed then." He gave her another push as she swung back. "Since I'm out of embarrassing things that doesn't leave us with many talking points, though."
"Well, you should know what happens when you assume." More pumps of her leg and the blonde soared higher with each pass. "And we don't need to talk about anything embarrassing, really. That was just to see what I could get out of you," Lil teased, sticking her tongue out at him over her shoulder. "We can talk about anything you want."
"Very tricky of you." He kept pushing, laughing again as she stuck her tongue out. "I guess now you know that if you ask I'll tell you secret things. Now I think maybe I shouldn't have." He still spoke playfully, pushing her in the swing.
Enjoying the way the wind whipped her hair about when she was up high, Lil continued to pump her legs until she felt as if she were soaring with the clouds. "You'll find I'm full of many surprises, Your Excellency. But we can skip on naughty secrets for now. Tell me more about you." She wanted to know more about the man beneath the flirting and the muscles. What he liked, what he did for fun. What his childhood was like.
"You'll have to be more specific than that. I think my life has been fairly plain but that's because I lived it. I know some other people find it pretty interesting." Bishop kept pushing, guiding her up into the air by the hips. He wasn't worried about how high she may want to go, since it's not like she could hurt herself by falling. "If I start spilling everything about myself are you going to as well?" He grinned, avoiding the assumption.
"You're learning already!" Lil cackled as she swung. She wouldn't go much higher; while she could risk injury to herself with no problem, breaking the swing set would be quite upsetting. "I'll tell you about my family if you tell me about yours," the blonde compromised.
"Father I never met, Mother that died when I was too young to remember, Grandmother that raised me, and Sister I haven't seen in years." Bishop gave her another push up into the air. "Nothing very interesting, I'm afraid. Any kid that grew up on my block would have the same story."
His abruptness made her frown and stilling her legs, let the momentum keep her swinging. "I'm sorry," Lil apologized with another glance back at him. "My mother died when I was young, too, but I remember it. Breast cancer when I was eight. No siblings and my grandparents weren't around much so it was just me and Daddy until I met Maddy when I was sixteen."
"Thank you." That was Bishop's only response to her sympathy. He didn't think about how he grew up much anymore and he talked about it next to never. He wanted to push the topic off that all together but he didn't want to be insensitive to her own difficult story. "I'm sorry about your family, too." It came out kind of disjointed and awkward, unlike about anything else he said. He had invested a lot of his time into making himself independent enough to not have this conversation.
She smiled wistfully to herself, one shoulder rising and falling in a halfhearted shrug. "Thanks, but like you said, it's not a story that only belongs to me. It was just... hard when she died because I'd manifested my powers by then. I went to donate my hair for wigs and when they tried to cut it, it just wouldn't." A mutant child on top of a dying wife and all the medical bills that came with both; she often marveled at how her father had managed during that time. "Okay, maybe that last part isn't so common but there's nothing I can do about it now 'cept remember her and stay in touch with my Dad."
A nod when she glanced back was Bishop's only response. Most people didn't know what to say to stories like theirs. He was more aware than that, he knew that there wasn't anything to be said. Words weren't capable of what would need to happen to be an appropriate response; or people weren't. Something in the equation was inadequate and he found it more inadequate to even try.
Lil let the silence hang between for a few long moments until she began to drag her feet on the ground to slow the swing to an eventual stop. Climbing off it, she turned to face him, still smiling softly as she held the chains. "I had a really fun time today," the Amazon said finally. "Thank you."
"I did too and it has been my pleasure." Lil got a genuine, sweet smile from Bishop as he thought back over the day, letting the sad topic fall away. Finally he stepped in, embracing her softly and giving her a real kiss, soft against her lips.
It shouldn't have surprised her the way it did: his mouth on hers, but it did. Enough to make her freeze for a second before her eyes fluttered shut and she pressed back into the kiss but only for a few fleeting moments. The sad smile was back and Lil chewed on her bottom lip once more while fingering the fabric of his jacket and avoiding his eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, barely above a whisper. "I'm not ready, yet."
"That's nothing to be sorry about." Bishop ran his hands over her back comfortingly as they stood close. "I can keep trying every now and then or you can if and when you're ready. Your choice." He smiled, trying to be helpful. He didn't want to stop making advances if she was never going to and so miss an opportunity for no reason. He also didn't want to keep making them if they would make her uncomfortable and drive her away.
A tentative nod became a stronger, more confident one and when she finally lifted her face to his once more, her smile was more comfortable and shades closer to the ones she'd worn before. "We'll see how things go. And, thank you, again." Lil took a deep breath then pressed her own kiss to his cheek, sweet and nearly chaste but enough to seal a promise that she'd let him know when she was ready for more should that time come for them.
Bishop patted her back softly. "It's no problem, really." He was secretly a pretty sweet guy. He didn't like the possibility that he was drawn to another woman that might not return his affection when he didn't give out much to begin with but he didn't hold any anger over it. It was part of his own choice with his life and he was happy with his life. Looking for perfection was missing the point.
She sighed softly and placed her head on his shoulder, thankful for his acceptance. "I like you. Really," Lil stressed, "but I'm still getting over Maddy and being here; I need my time to settle. Hopefully, it won't take a year," the blonde teased as she wrapped her own arms around his torso in a warm hug. "I'm certainly not asking you to stop completely; the gift was very touching and here, with the swings, I had fun. It's just... a lot to handle right now." Her nose brushed along the line of his neck affectionately while one hand dropped and tucked into the back pocket of his pants comfortably. "I definitely don't want you to give up, though."
"I'm not one to give up." Bishop said sweetly, standing with her and keeping her wrapped up in his strong arms as she enjoyed nuzzling in against him. He didn't interrupt as she touched or brushed against him. "I understand how settling in is. Let me know if I can do anything more to help so it doesn't have to be any harder then it already is." He kissed her forehead lightly just once.
"I will," Lil promised before falling silent and basking in the strength he radiated. It felt wonderful to be wrapped in the arms of a man again, to feel cherished and important and part of her wanted nothing more than to drag him back to his car for a couple of crazy rounds of sex but she knew it wouldn't be fair to either of them. Instead, she was content to listen to the comforting thrum of his heart beneath her ear for a few minutes longer.
Bishop didn't move her at all. He knew she needed the comfort and, if nothing else, a friend in a new place. He kept hold of her, his hands even staying on her back despite hers in his back pocket. "Good." He smiled, resting his cheek to her forehead as she stayed nuzzled in close.
She breathed in the scent of him, all musk and male and let it soothe her. Yes, Lil knew she was a tease - and sometimes a pretty horrible one at that - but it was so nice to stand wrapped up in a man like this and not have to worry about 'what ifs' and 'whens' for a few long minutes. She didn't need to; there was no rush for either of them and what would come would do so on its own time.
With a little sigh, Lil finally lifted her head once more and offered him a smile before pulling away completely save for her hand taking his. She gave it a little pulse then wrapped her fingers with his. "We should probably get back to the mansion now, huh?"
He slipped his fingers in between hers, nodding and heading to the car with her. "We probably should." He paused for a moment and looked down to Lil. "Can I take you out again soon? We can do something with any level of seriousness you're comfortable with." He felt she might not want to go on a date yet but was sure they could find any number of reasons to spend time together.
Lil smiled back up at him and nodded. "Yeah, you can. I'd like that." What they did, where they would go, she didn't want to think about yet but just agreeing to it made her feel a little nervous, though in a good way. Giving his fingers another squeeze, she began to walk towards the car, letting their hands swing casually in the space between them.
Bishop got the door for her, shutting it and walking around to climb into the driver seat. It was only a moment before they were off and back to the mansion. He got the feeling Lil was a little worn out from their day and he didn't want to do anything that would make settling in any harder on her. If he didn't hear from her in a few days then he'd make the next contact.
The ride back was quiet; not uncomfortably so but enough to create a stark difference from their trip to the range despite the same mellow Jazz that floated from his stereo. Something had changed between them, had become more reality than playful fantasy and it made Lil feel like a teenager with a crush again. "You gonna come in or just kick me to the curb when we get there?" She had no idea if he had anything else planned for his day.
"I can come in if you'd like." Bishop laughed at her phrasing, looking to her with another smile. Teasing about having sex always became very different when the reality of actually having it was put into the mind. He would return to teasing her shortly but, for the time, he wanted to make sure she knew he wasn't going to push too hard and that he was there to help her adjust; most of all he wanted her to know he was to be taken seriously.
"It's completely up to you. I didn't know if you needed to get back to the city for anything or if you had any business to take care of here." Lil had no plans of her own; nothing beyond a long shower, anyway. "It's really okay if you have to leave right away."
"I don't." He pulled into a parking spot, turning the car off. "If you'd like company I'd be glad to join you for a while today while you do what you have planned." Had he known her plan was a long shower he might have made a more specific offer to lighten the mood back up with their usual banter and flirting.
Her nose wrinkled in its way as she laughed softly then shook her head. "No, no, I don't think you joining me would be a good idea as it would definitely not help me get settled. Plus, I don't think I could explain to anyone why there was a Lil-sized dent in my shower wall with a straight face if you did."
"Well if I would have known you were going in for a shower I wouldn't have even asked; I'd have just joined." Bishop spoke playfully but stayed in the car. He wasn't going in if it wasn't to spend time with her, he didn't have any other business at the mansion until the evening.
"Too bad the surprise was ruined," the blonde lamented and after gathering her chocolate, reached over to give his hand another squeeze. "Thanks again. I really did have a great time and I'm looking forward to whenever you steal me for another afternoon." Lil leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek before speaking soft and low into his ear. "Until then, I've got a date with my detachable shower head." Pulling back, she gave him a wink, then opened the door and headed up to the mansion.
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